Foundry core forming apparatus



Sept. 6, 1955 R. .P. DAVIS 2,716,789

FOUNDRY CORE FORMING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 21, 1951 2 Shee'1.s-Sheet l INVENTOR. llal vh P Dal/15 EH5 AZTTOHIVEY Sept. 6, 1955 R. P. DAVIS 2,716,789

FOUNDRY CORE FORMING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 21, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Haoh P Davw.

H15 49 mm United States Patent FOUNDRY CORE FORMING APPARATUS Ralph 1?. Davis, Squantum, Mass., assignor to Walworth Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 21, 1951, Serial No. 247,570

4 Claims. (Cl. 2210) This invention relates to foundry core-forming apparatus and more particularly to adapter means for the core-box section.

A conventional core-forming or blowing machine requires for economical operation that a relatively large number of cores of one type be made on any one run. Such machine accommodates the drier section of the core-box on a movable platen while the upper section is secured to the nozzle portion leading from the sand hopper. Since several bolts or screws must usually be removed to change the upper core-box section to another type or size, it is not feasible to use such machines on short run jobs. This has seriously limited the usefulness of such machines as will be apparent.

An object of this invention is to expedite the changeover from one core making job to another.

Another object of the invention is to adapt conventional and existing core making equipment to produce the desired result.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the number of drier sections required to operate core-blowing machines economically.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages are achieved by the adapter comprising a casing adapted to be secured at one end to the nozzle and to overlie coreforming means at the opposite end. A pair of clamping means is carried by the casing and provided with a portion projecting beyond the opposite end into overlying relation to receive the core-forming means therebetween. In this embodiment, a pair of fluid motors are connected one to each of the clamping means and are operable for moving them transversely of the casing. Since the clamping means and casing are provided with inclined surfaces the transverse movement causes an endwise movement upon operative engagement between the inclined surfaces and serves to maintain the projecting portions in clamping engagement with the core-forming means.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of part of a core-blowing machine having the adapter applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the adapter casing, and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a conventional core-blowing machine comprises, in part, a table having a pair of uprights 12 attached thereto and serving to reciprocate a movable platen 14 toward and away from a nozzle portion 16. The nozzle portion 16 projects from a sand receptacle or hopper 18 from which the core material is forced under fluid pressure out of the nozzle 16.

The adapter of this invention comprises a hollow casing 20 having a hollow end 22 of generally rectangular cross-section and an upper end 24 substantially cylindrical in contour. The upper end is provided with a recess 2,716,783 Patented Sept. 6, 1955 26 to receive the open end of the nozzle 15 to which the casing 20 is secured by suitable set-screws 28.

The lower end 22 of the casing 20 is adapted to overlie a substantially rectangular core-box section 30 having an enlarged rim 32 which is adapted to fit closely against the end face of the rectangular lower end 22. Such corebox section 30 may be of conventional form and provided with the necessary holes (not shown) through which the core-forming material may pass to a drier section 34 positioned on the platen 14. A pair of stop-pins 35 project from the rear portion of the end face of the rectangular portion 22 to limit the rearward movement of the core-box section 30 as will be hereinafter described.

The casing 20 is provided with a pair of inclined surfaces 36 formed on opposite sides of the rectangular end 22, but being located adjacent the cylindrical end 24. The inclined surfaces project from the wall of the casing 20 and may be surfaced with hard-facing material for a purpose apparent hereinafter.

A pair of clamping members 38 are positioned one on each side of the casing 20 and have inclined surfaces 40 complemental to the inclined surfaces 36 and adapted for operative engagement therewith. The clamping members 38 extend longitudinally of the casing 49 and terminate in angular projections 42 beyond the lower end of the rectangular portion 22 and in overlying relation therewith to receive the rim portion 32 of the core-box section 30 therebetween.

The clamping members 38 are secured to the casing 20 respectively by a pair of studs 44 which project from each side of the casing 20 adjacent the rectangular end 22 and through enlarged apertures 47 formed in the clamping members 38. Suitable nuts 48 are employed to fasten the clamping members 33 in position on the studs 44.

The clamping members 38 are of inverted T-shaped form with the enlarged apertures 47 being formed in the head portion and providing limited endwise movement of the clamping members 38 relative to the casing 21 The nuts 48 are drawn up on the studs 44 in such position relative to the clamping members 38 as to provide for slight tilting movement thereon while the core-box section 30 is being assembled. Such assembly is conducted by sliding the core-box section 3% from the front of the machine across the end face of the rectangular section 22 of the casing 20 while the clamping members 38 are in the described tilted position. At such time, the operative engagement between the inclined faces 36, 43 of the casing 20 and clamping members 33, respectively, has not occurred. Means now to be described are operable for moving the clamping members 38 relatively to the casing for maintaining the projecting portions 42 in clamping engagement with the rim portion 32 of the core-box section 30. c

The casing 20 is provided on opposite sides thereof with a plurality, in this instance, four projections 50 which are suitably spaced to receive the leg of the T- shaped clamping members 38 therebetween. A pair of fluid motors 52 are secured, as by the bolts 54, to the projections 50 and are thereby held rigidly in position on the casing 20. Since fluid motors of conventional type may be employed, detailed description is deemed unnecessary. Each motor 52 is provided with a plunger 56 projecting toward the clamping members 38 and having a headed bushing 58 projecting through an enlarged aperture 60 formed in each clamping member 38.

A transverse pin 62 extends through the projecting end of the bushing 58 and engages with the adjacent portion of the clamping members 38 to secure these clamping members 38 to the fluid motors 52 against relative movement. It will beobserved however, that due to the enlarged apertures 60 the clamping members 38 are adapted for relative movement on the bushings 58 for a purpose apparent hereinafter. Suitable fluid connections 64 are employed for conducting fluid under pressure to the fluid motors 52. These connections 64 embody manually operable multi-way valve means 66 located at a convenient point on one of the uprights 12 for use by the operator.

Operation The operation of the adapter will be apparent from the foregoing description. Assuming that the fluid motors 52 have been operated to retract the plungers 56 and a corebox section 30 is to be inserted. Under such conditions, the clamping members 38 are in the described tilted position with the inclined surfaces 36, 40 out of operative engagement. The core-box section 30 is now inserted with the rim portion 32 positioned between the projections 42 and the end face of the rectangular portion 22. The insertion is conducted as previously mentioned from the front of the machine by sliding the rim portion 32 rearwardly until it contacts the stop pins 35 whereupon such movement is terminated.

The control valve 66 is then operated to admit pressure fluid to the head end of the fluid motors 52 resulting in movement of the plungers 56 toward the casing 20. The upper ends of the clamping members 38 are thereby moved inwardly and, due to the inclined surfaces 36, 40, a slight upward movement of the clamping members 38 occurs. Consequently, the rim portion of the core-box section 30 is clamped between the projections 42 of the clamping members 38 and the end face of the rectangular portion 22 of the casing 20. The core-box section 30 is thereby held rigidly in position and sufliciently tight against the end face of the casing 20 to prevent leakage of core-forming material therebetween.

It is apparent that such insertion of the core-box section 30 will take place in a matter of seconds. The core-blowing machine can thereafter be operated productively by successively inserting drier sections 34 on the upwardly movable platen 14. It will be understood that suitable guides and stops (not shown) are permanently located on the platen 14 to provide for accurate registry of the drier section 34 with the core-box section 30 as in conventional practice.

The adapter of this invention makes it possible to change over from one core-box section to another expeditiously, rendering short-run jobs on standard core-blowing machines economical. Since many foundries are confronted with the necessity of producing many sizes of short-run jobs, a long-standing problem has been solved. For example, it should be observed that under ordinary conditions it is necessary to provide many duplicate drier sections in order to keep a core-blowing machine in continuous operation on a particular size. Obviously, it would be impractical to provide more than a few driers for items requiring but a few cores. However, when utilizing the adapter of this invention, it is feasible to provide but a few drier sections of any size regardless of the quantity of cores required, since one lot of driers may be sent to the core baking section while an entirely different size of core is being made on the same machine. Since the changeover from one size of core-box to another is facilitated by this invention such reduction in the number of drier sections is now rendered feasible with resultant saving in initial cost of core-boxes and rendering the machine more useful and productive.

It will be apparent that many changes may be made in the arrangement of parts and details of construction within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An adapter for core-forming apparatus having a discharge nozzle for core material comprising a hollow casing adapted to be secured at one end to the nozzle to overlie core-forming means at the opposite end and to transmit core material from the nozzle to the core-forming means, said casing having a pair of inclined surfaces on opposite sides thereof, a pair of clamping members carried on said opposite sides of said casing and each having a complemental inclined surface for operative engagement with said surfaces on said casing, said members each having a portion projecting beyond said opposite end into overlying relation therewith to receive core-forming means therebetween, and means for moving said members laterally relative to said casing and causing said operative engagement between said inclined surfaces of said casing and said member respectively for maintaining said projecting portions in clamping engagement with the core-forming means.

2. An adapter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said clamping members are mounted on said casing for limited endwise movement resulting from said operative engagement with said inclined surfaces.

3. An adapter as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for moving said clamping members comprises fluid pressure means acting substantially simultaneously and uniformly on each member.

4. An adapter for core-forming apparatus having a discharge nozzle for core material comprising a hollow casing having a lower end of generally rectangular crosssection and an upper end substantially cylindrical and adapted to be secured to the nozzle, said lower end being adapted to overlie a substantially rectangular core-box section adapted to receive the core material from the nozzle through said casing, said casing having a pair of inclined surfaces on opposite sides of said casing and located adjacent said cylindrical end, a pair of clamping members mounted on said opposite sides of said casing for limited transverse and endwise movement relative thereto, said clamping members each having a complemental inclined surface for operative engagement with said surfaces of said casing, said members each having a portion projecting beyond said lower end into overlying relation therewith to receive the core-box section therebetween, a pair of fluid motors connected one to each of said clamping members intermediate said mounting and said inclined surfaces, said motors being operable for moving said members transversely of said casing and causing said endwise movement upon said operative engagement between said inclined surfaces of said casing and said members respectively, and valve means operable for controlling operation of said motors substantially simultaneously and uniformly on each clamping member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,480,750 Demmler Jan. 15, 1924 1,746,219 Lewis Feb. 4, 1930 2,258,466 Naylor Oct. 7, 1941 2,259,768 Naylor Oct. 21, 1941 2,391,715 Kloss Dec. 25, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 186,379 Great Britain Sept. 25, 1922 

1. AN ADAPTER FOR CORE-FORMING APPARATUS HAVING A DISCHARGE NOZZLE FOR CORE MATERIAL COMPRISING A HOLLOW CASING ADAPTED TO BE SECURED AT ONE END TO THE NOZZLE TO OVERLIE CORE-FORMING MEANS AT THE OPPOSITE END AND TO TRANSMIT CORE MATERIAL FROM THE NOZZLE TO THE CORE-FORMING MEANS, SAID CASING HAVING A PAIR OF INCLINED SURFACES ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF A PAIR OF CLAMPING MEMBERS CARRIED ON SAID OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CASING AND EACH HAVING A COMPLEMENTAL INCLINED SURFACE FOR OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SURFACES ON SAID CASING, SAID MEMBERS EACH HAVING A PORTION PROJECTING BEYOND SAID OPPOSITE END INTO OVERLYING RELATION THEREWITH TO RECEIVE CORE-FORMING MEANS THEREBETWEEN, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID MEMBERS LATERALLY RELATIVE TO SAID CASING AND CAUSING SAID OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SAID INCLINED SURFACES OF SAID CASING AND SAID MEMBER RESPECTIVELY FOR MAINTAINING SAID PROJECTING PORTIONS IN CLAMPING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CORE-FORMING MEANS. 